Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Allan Bense Push Polling

Push polling is a long running dirty political tactic. Push polls are disguised to look like legitimate polling practices. A classic example is push polling that was done in South Carolina in 2000. Pollers called and asked if they would vote for John McCain if he had a black baby. Another push poll was the Texas governor's race. Pollers called and asked voters how they felt about Ann Richards being a lesbian. She's not, but that didn't stop the push polling.

"When political researchers put a survey into the field, they do so using recognized scientific techniques to find out what the public is thinking or feeling," said Ed Goeas of the Tarrance Group. "When political researchers put a survey into the field, they do so using recognized scientific techniques to find out what the public is thinking or feeling. 'Push polls' on the other hand, are meant to inform the electorate with no accountability."

It's a shame that Goeas doesn't want to comment to the Tampa Tribune on a recent push poll for Allan Bense. The poll was run by the Tarrance Group and had questions slanted against Bill Nelson.

He said he was asked whether he knew that Nelson "opposed renewing the Patriot Act, which is designed to protect America from terrorism," and opposed the Bush administration tax cuts. He also was asked whether he knew Bense is "a unifier, that he saved taxpayers money."

Tampa lawyer Michael Steinberg sued Tarrance Group for push polling. Tarrance Group was also accused of push polling by candidate Brian Schweitzer. The Katherine Harris campaign used Tarrance Group for positive push polling. If Harris can get postive polling numbers then they must be fudged. Goeas is a former Harris campaign staffer.